Do looks seriously matter?
by KitsuneSan06
Summary: Imogen Renshaw is a Dhampir. She started off in Martial art classes with Tasha Ozera thinking she was like any other teenager. How wrong was she. She starts at VA, coping with strange classes, combat training, and a boy who she cant stop staring at...
1. Chapter 1

**Okay vampire academy fic. I have only read the first book and frostbite so sorry if I don't know the full story yet. Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from vampire academy and this is completely fan-made.**

**Summary: Imogen is a dhampir but doesn't know it. She was put in care as soon as she was born. She was raised in a human family but started working with Tasha Ozera in her martial arts classes. She ends up going to the Academy. Crap summary, I know but just carry on reading (:**

"A grading?" I was sat with my sensei in the dojo. I didn't really do the proper lessons like the other kids did because I had no money, and no family to give it to me. Tasha was my only friend and family. I was shocked at getting a grading.

"Well sort of," Tasha said. She had ditched her white karate suit for combat pants and a loose t-shirt. Even so, she still looked as pretty as always. "Only one thing though, do not hold back. This instructor is looking for your true strength."

"You're not testing me?" I suddenly felt nervous at taking a test in front of a stranger.

"Well that would be biased wouldn't it?" She smiled. I smiled back. "Anyway, I'm going to be the one that fights you. You're only going to be tested in the fighting section. Kata and pad work aren't needed in this test."

What kind of a grading was this? I had seen the others do theirs and Kata was compulsory normally.

"Does this instructor know I'm 16?" I had been in a coma for four years and due to some rare gene disorder, my body hadn't grown. I was a 16 year old in an 11 year olds body. I came out of the coma last year and I still hadn't grown much taller. Just curvier.

"Yes, he does. He's an old friend of mine," She said. "Come on, let's warm up."

We did the stretches and other warm up techniques. 30 press ups and 30 sit ups. Before the running. She made us do 50 laps around the mat area. It may have sounded like a lot, but not to sound big headed or anything, I didn't even break a sweat. Tasha however had just started getting out of breath. Not much, but not as calm as me. She sat down and made me do 50 more laps, as the instructor came in. I tried to block him out as I carried on. First impressions count right? If I could prove my fitness at running, maybe that would get me a few bonus points.

On my 67th lap I just about started sweating. They were sat on white plastic chairs at the front of the dojo, near the changing rooms. As I came closer I heard there conversation.

"She's certainly got more stamina than any human I've come across," Tasha said as I came closer.

"What lap is she on?" The instructor was tall, very tall. And I thought I heard a Russian accent in his voice. Apart from that I didn't give him much notice. I stuck to the exercise but answered the question.

"68th now," I said before carrying on. They stopped talking for a while and I had got a quarter ways round the mats before they spoke again. I was surprised I could still hear them.

"If she was facing Strigoi, she wouldn't have to fight. She could just run with the amount of stamina she has," I heard Tasha murmur. I had no idea what a Strigoi was but I carried on running, deciding it wasn't important for the test.

5 minutes later I joined them on the white plastic chairs, slightly out of breath. They stopped talking again, Tasha smiled at me. "Imogen, this is Dimitri, your examiner for today."

That was the first time I looked at him, really looked. I was right, he was very tall. Way over six foot. He had brown hair down to his shoulders that was pulled back in a hair tie. He wore a long, brown leather coat. He smiled at me. "Hello Imogen." I was certain he had a Russian accent. A boy from my school had spoken Russian as well. Only Dimitris' voice was a lot deeper.

"Hi," I said. Nerves came back, but his smile made me think he was a kind examiner.

"Come on then Imogen," Tasha said putting in a gum shield. "Let's fight."

I hastily grabbed my training mitts and head guard. But Tasha shook her head.

"You will be fine Imogen. Remember what I said, no holding back. That means no mitts."

I put them back on the floor, confused. But I stood up anyway and followed her onto the mats. And so we sparred. I tried blocking out the fact I was being examined. I tried to remember the techniques I'd been taught but Tasha acted as though she was just there for me to attack her.

"Come on Imogen," she said. "I know you're stronger than this. Don't worry about hurting me. I want to see what you can do!"

After a few minutes I realised that this was no ordinary sparring session. I wasn't wearing mitts and the only protection we had was our gum shields. Normal sessions would have been stopped after 2 minutes. So I gave Tasha what she wanted. My full strength.

If I had known how strong I was I wouldn't have done it. But I threw all my effort into the moves before sweeping her. She fell to the floor and I pinned her there. Before realising the damage I had done.

The gum shield hadn't protected her much as I could still see blood coming from her mouth. When she fell she landed awkwardly on her ankle and even though it wasn't broken, I could tell she had a nasty sprain at least. I had pretty much beaten up my own Sensei. I helped her up and led her to where Dimitri sat.

Two things were weird after I helped Tasha up. One, Dimitri didn't even come running to help her. And secondly Tasha seemed to be in the best mood ever even though she had a bleeding jaw, several bad bruises and a sprained ankle.

"We've found one," Dimitri said.

"A girl one too Dimka," Tasha said smiling. She had taken her gum-shield out and had a big grin on her face. Her unnaturally sharp canines looked like fangs, and the blood looked like she had just bitten someone. She actually looked like a vampire.

"What are you talking about guys? Did I pass?"

"Yeah, you can say that," Dimitri said. And that's when I found out.

10 minutes later and they finally stopped talking. I had started out puzzled but now I was down-right bewildered. She had explained how she WAS actually a vampire, and I was half vampire.

"You are kidding right?"

"No Imogen I'm not," she said. "There is no way on earth that a human could have that much strength."

"So say I am a Dhampir or whatever. What happens now? I currently have 73 cents to my name. Not exactly enough to pay for me to become a guardian person like Dimitri."

"You don't have to pay. I'll pay for you."

"What? I can't let you do that! You've done enough for me. Given me free lessons, you can't pay for this school as well."

"She can," Dimitri said. "She's royal."

"Even still I can't –wait what? You're related to the royal family? We don't even have one in America."

"The Moroi royal family. There are twelve royal families. Sure I don't get money like some of them do but I can pay for your school fees."

"I still don't think you should," I said.

"Even if I didn't I'd still be giving you free lessons here. And anyway, St Vladimirs Acadamy is a hell of a lot better than the dump that the orphanage sends you to."

"Will you be there?"

"I'll visit. I want to visit my nephew as well at some point in the holidays." She wasn't backing down. She really did want to see me become a guardian someday.

"Okay, I'll go. But one question."

"Shoot," she smiled.

"I don't want to seem like I was ear wigging but when I was doing the laps, I heard you talking. Something about running away from Strigoi, what are Strigoi?"

"Well, she's gonna find out anyway," Dimitri said. And that's when I found out the true purpose of my job as a novice guardian.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two. Review ^_^**

**I still don't own Vampire academy.**

**And I have read Shadow Kiss and blood promise now but Dimitri is obviously a Dhampir in this.**

Later on after I learnt more about the Vampire world, it was time to say goodbye to Tasha. Tasha wanted me to go straight to the Academy for the start of term. I still had to go to the orphanage to get my things. With Dimitri around, I felt a hell of a lot safer walking through town to get there.

The orphanage was lively as it was 6pm and people had just come home from school. It was their first day back and I had missed it to go with Tasha. A boy called Josh smirked when I walked through the front door with Dimitri. He was about my age and I hated him. He was sat on the stairs with his brother Ryan.

"Woah Imogen I didn't think you would start going for older men so soon. And with you looking like a ten year old he looks like a pedo to me."

That was one thing I hadn't told Tasha. Here and at school I hid my true feelings after I came out of the coma. I pretended I was as confident as the others and even came across a bit flirty and easy. I acted recklessly and broke the school rules so I didn't feel left out. But this wasn't what I wanted. Dimitri didn't need to know my personal life as soon as he walked through the door.

"Drop dead Josh," I said. I turned to Dimitri; he looked mildly shocked at the boys comment but didn't talk. "Wanna come to my room? I can tell Sandra about me going when I have a bag packed."

"Sure," he said. I walked along the hallway and tried getting up the stairs.

"You're blocking my way Josh," I said. "Let us past."

"No ones gonna make me move," he said.

"Oh yeah? You wanna know why I skipped school today? I had an exam with Tasha. I nearly broke her jaw and gave her a sprained ankle. That's the damage I did to someone I like; imagine what I could do to you…"

"Oh so you're a Psychopathic bitch now as well as a cheap whore?" The cockiness in his voice had gone though.

I noticed Dimitris eyes flicker with anger at the word 'whore' but other than that he waited patiently for the boys to move.

"Come on Josh leave it," Ryan said. "Before she tries to kill us like she did with her foster dad."

"You know nothing about that," I said in a low voice. "Now fuck off before you and your brother end up getting more than a sprained ankle."

"See what I mean? Seriously dude, if you are her boyfriend, get out of her boyfriend whilst you can. She's mad." They walked towards the dining room where everyone was having dinner.

"Sorry," I said.

"Don't worry. Tasha told me. You had a right to be angry," he said as he followed me up the stairs.

I entered my bedroom for a final time. I was glad to be out of it. It was like a guest room. Nicely decorated but not exactly lived in. He sat on the wooden desk chair as I began putting my stuff in a bag. All of my possessions could fit in that one holdall. Within minutes my bag was packed.

"Before we go back downstairs," I said. "Can I ask you something?"

Dimitri stood up. "What is it?"

"You know the mark on Tasha's face? She said a dog bit her. It wasn't a dog was it?"

"No," Dimitri said. "It was a Strigoi. Her sister. She has spent her life training since then. Not many Moroi want to fight. But she does."

"Her sister went Strigoi?" Strigoi were the kind of Vampires that you hear in horror stories. The ones with pale, chalky white faces and red eyes. The evil vampires.

"By choice," Dimitri said. "And her husband. Her nephews' mother and father."

That must have been awful. For Tasha and her nephew. "That's what makes it so hard to kill them right? Because they might be relatives of a friend?"

Dimitri nodded, "You're a quick learner Imogen."

I smiled, "Time to tell Sandra?"

Downstairs everyone was having dinner. Naturally when I walked in with Dimitri all eyes were on me.

"Who is that Imogen?" I noticed that voice. It was Leah, my worst enemy.

"Yeah Imogen," Josh laughed. "Why you running away with a complete stranger?"

"Silence Josh," Sandra said. "Imogen, my office."

In her office Dimitri took care of everything. He said he was a teacher of a school for those talented in martial arts. Nice lie, I thought.

"How is she talented in martial arts? She's only been attending 2 years."

"She's a natural," Dimitri said. "Now any forms you need signing we can sign once we get to the school. We're running late as it is."

She handed him a bunch of papers, "Okay. I want the papers back by next week."

"Okay," he said. Turning around he walked towards the door. Once there I could see tattoos on the back of his neck. "Hurry Imogen."

I hurried to stay at his side. It was a 20 minute walk to where the Academy's plane was. It looked more like a private jet than a plane.

"Take a seat," he said. "I'll be back in a minute."

"Hello there little Dhampir."

In one of the seats there was a man there. He looked about 20 and was obviously drunk. I sat in the seat behind him.

"Hi," I said.

"I'm Adrian Ivashkov, you're the new student?"

"Yeah, Imogen Renshaw."

"Nice to meet you. Are you going into the middle school?"

"I'm 16," I said. Sometimes I wondered whether it would be easier just to be around other 12 yr olds.

"Really? You look about 12."

"Thanks, I guess." This was no time to discuss my past.

"Your aura is strange…Dark yellow."

"What?" I knew the Moroi did magic but auras were never mentioned.

"It keeps changing from dark yellow through to dark blue. Are you making up for lost time? Maybe you're afraid to show your true self as well?"

How did this guy know all this?

"No," I said flatly.

"Oh, now it's going a dark red as well. You're angry at me."

"Imogen." I looked up to see Dimitri stood in the aisle. "Are you hungry?"

I shook my head, "I'm ok thanks."

"You sure? You haven't had anything all day."

"I'm okay," I said.

He nodded and went back to wherever he was before. I wondered if every Moroi could see my Aura? If not then how did he know? I tried to get to sleep so I didn't have to talk to him.

Unfortunately, I didn't know Moroi could get inside my dreams as well.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3.**

**I still don't own vampire academy.**

**Review ^_^**

I stood on a balcony in the middle of winter. I looked 16 and was about 7 inches taller than I normally was. I seemed to be at a ski lodge. But because it was my dream I could stand in a crop top and denim shorts and not be cold. I was also barefoot. The snow fell on me but it wasn't freezing. I didn't recognise where I was. I looked around and realised I was being watched.

"Oh great so now your haunting me in my dreams as well," I said as Adrian came through the main entrance of the ski lodge. He was wearing a suit and expensive shoes. I could tell he was from another royal family.

"Hey this is my dream as well," He said crossing his arms. "I have as much right to be here as you do."

"This is your dream? Wait but I'm the one asleep here."

"Yes that's right, but I'm here too."

"Well if you're here I wanna go now," I said.

"You have to be woken up first. The academy is a 3 hour flight. Dimitri won't wake you up until we get there. Looks like your stuck here with me."

"I fell asleep so I wouldn't have to talk to you!"

"Aw that's not very nice Imogen."

I sat down in the snow. He was annoying.

"Where are we then?"

"In a ski lodge in Idaho. I came here in on Christmas vacation. I must say you look very pretty when you look your age."

"Um thanks," I said. I wished I looked like this in real life. I suddenly felt like I wanted to stay here a bit longer, it wouldn't hurt.

"So," he said. "Tell me a bit about yourself. You're Auras the same by the way, except the red has gone."

No way was I discussing my past with this moron. "Actually, I have some questions for you. With me being new to all this."

He smiled, "Sure, what is it?"

"Can all Moroi see Auras?" Damn I didn't really want to ask that, now he knew I was worried about him seeing it. I'd blurted it out without realising.

"No, just spirit users," he said. "All Moroi specialise in one of the 5 elements. Earth, water, fire, air and spirit."

"But spirit isn't an element," I said.

"It is, it's just been forgotten because it's so rare. Only two students have it at our school. Me and a friend called Lissa."

"Oh," I guess if I didn't hang out with Adrian I wouldn't have to bother about this Lissa either. "Can she go in dreams too?"

"No, but she can heal people," he said. "I'm not as good at that."

"So tell me about Saint Vladimirs."

He shook his head and laughed, "No, you'll find out as you live there. I've told you one of my secrets, now you tell me one of yours."

I was about to say that no way was I gonna blurt out any secrets to a moron like him. But then I realised he wouldn't settle for it. And I guess spirit is a big secret if not many people know about it.

"I don't know my parents," I said. Not one of my biggest secrets but I guess its all he needed to know. "I grew up in an orphanage."

"Weird," Adrian said. "Normally Dhampirs with parents who didn't want to give up their job to look after them are put into the Academies care. Not a human orphanage."

"Maybe my mum was human," I said. "And she didn't know my father."

"Maybe," he said. "Although Moroi-human relationships are scandalous and the only other reason… well you wouldn't want to know. Because this is your parents were talking about."

His usual lazy attitude had gone; he was talking to me as if he was, well, sorry for me. I didn't want him doing that. "What do you mean? I wouldn't want to know."

"Well this would be a rare case if it were true. Most Dhampirs are born through Moroi men having one night stands with Dhampirs. Dhampirs can't have children together, it's not possible. But there are communities where Dhampir women live who aren't guardians and Moroi men visit a lot for sex."

"But you said my mother would have put me in the Academy's care if she were a Dhampir," I said. These Dhampir communities reminded me worryingly of brothels.

"Well maybe she was a human. And your father had a fling with her," he said. "All I know is that most Moroi men don't have long term relationships with Dhampirs. Humans, well that's even rarer. That's like giving away the secret of our world."

"I've never wanted to meet with my parents," I said. "And now I'm 90% sure that my father used my mother for sex, well I definitely don't want to meet him now. I guess I was an accident."

"Hey don't worry about it," he smiled. His earlier personality coming back. "At least you're with your own kind now. And you have an awesome friend like me to show you around."

I laughed, "How old are you anyway?"

"21," he said.

"21? Why are you still in school then?"

"I'm not, I'm a guest there. I just stay to practice spirit."

"Right, so with you being 21 and being oh-so-popular. Why the hell would you wanna hang around with me? A sixteen year old girl who looks like a 12 year old?"

"I don't know to be honest. I guess I've always wanted a little sister."

I shrugged, "Okay, it's better than being on my own I guess."

The dream faded after that. I woke up because someone was saying my name.

"Imogen."

I opened my eyes to see the sun setting outside my window. I turned to see Dimitri waking me up. I rubbed my eyes.

"Are we here?"

"Yes," he said. I looked around to see Adrian. He looked wide awake, as if he hadn't been asleep at all.

I stood up and followed them off the plane. It was sunset but it meant the start of the Moroi and Dhampir day. I just wanted to go back to bed.

"Hey Dimitri," I said. "Where are we going? Surely your not gonna shove me straight into lessons?"

"Your meeting with the Headmistress first," he said. "To discuss how your going to catch up for your exams when your 18. You'll need extra lessons. But after that, you'll meet with a teacher to get your timetable and after that you're going to lessons."

"I wanna go back to sleep," I said.

"You'll have to wait I'm afraid," he said leading me through the main entrance towards the headmistresses office. Adrian followed because he had nothing better to do.

After walking a short distance we arrived at the headmistresses' office. I went back to being shy as Dimitri knocked on the door. I heard Adrian say goodbye and looked around to see him go up another flight of stairs. Two guardians from the plane stayed.

"Come in."

Dimitri opened the door and I followed him in. The guardians – including him – took places on each side of the room, standing against the wall.

"Ah welcome Imogen," she said. The Headmistress was tall, thin and had grey hair. I noticed behind her that the window was tinted. "Sit down."

I sat in the seat opposite her. I didn't really know why she wanted to see me.

"Now, there is something I wanted to ask you," she said. "I am aware of your age and your past. Tasha Ozera let us know. I have a choice for you. You can either stay with your year group. Or if it's easier, you could go into the middle school. People won't say things to you and it will also give you extra time for your final exams."

Well she doesn't hang about. And she was almost certain I was going to be bullied. Tasha said it was gonna be better than my old school, I wasn't so certain.

"Thank you for your kindness Headmistress," I said. "But I need to be with my own age group, even if I don't look my age. Plus it would seem unfair if I got extra years. As for 'people talking' I've dealt with it for over a year, I'm not bothered if it happens here as well."

"Well if you're sure," she said. "I will assign one of the guardians to give you extra lessons. After school maybe?"

"That would be great, thank you," I smiled.

"She can train with me," Dimitri said. "Rose will enjoy the company and also help with Imogens' training."

"Well then," she said. "That would be great. And it will keep Miss Hathaway out of trouble too. You may go to get your timetable."

I stood up from my chair as the other guardians left. "Thank you Headmistress." Dimitri waited for me out on the corridor.

The guy who gave me my timetable kept it very brief. Asking what I was interested in and how much I knew. Within minutes I had a new timetable. And 15 minutes later I was in my newest class. It was the seniors teaching us today. The normal teachers and guardians sat at the back.

"We have a new student," one guy said as I came in late. Everyone else was in partners fighting. I could get used to this school. "Wait, are you sure you're in the right class? Shouldn't you be in the middle school?"

"I'm sixteen," I said hiding my annoyance. "I'm a high school student."

"Alright then," he smiled. "Rose, get over here. What's your name?"

"Imogen," I said as a girl came running up to us. "Imogen Renshaw."

"I'm Eddie, Eddie Castile. This is Rose Hathaway."

"Hi," she said. She was tall with her dark hair pulled up in a tight pony. Even though she was in combat pants and a t-shirt I could tell she was very pretty.

"Rose, be Imogens partner. I'll watch over the class."

"Sure thing," she smiled. She let me over to some mats, not far from the guardians. She sat down and I sat too. "So you're new?"

"Yep," I said. "I didn't know I was a Dhampir till today."

"But you know how to fight?"

"Yeah, I was a student in a Martial Arts class. Tasha Ozera was my teacher."

"Ah I know Tasha," she said. "I think your gonna be good if you're her student."

I could tell she was just being friendly. There was no way I was up to this class's standard yet. Or maybe she was just a nice person.

"Are you Rose Hathaway?" She nodded. I might as well get to know her. Dimitri had wanted me to. "The Headmistress said I needed extra lessons to catch up with my year group. So she let me join you and Dimitri in your lessons."

"That's great!" I could tell she was happy, but a tiny bit of her wasn't. Like she did want to get to know me, but that was a step too far.

"No slacking off Rose," a guardian warned from the back. "You were only supposed to find out how much she knew."

"Sorry Alberta," Rose said smiling. She stood up, holding a hand out for me. I took hold of it and she dragged me up. "Try and hit me."

I did. And she blocked it. She was fast! I kept trying to but she wasn't going easy on me.

"Come on, don't give up. You're only a year younger than me!"

And I tried and tried. I managed to land a few hits and kicks but none to faze her. I sweeped as I had done with Tasha, but she hardly moved. At the end of the lesson though she seemed pleased.

"You did really well today," she smiled. "It was your first time and you haven't done martial arts long have you? 2 years? You'll soon be top of the class with me and Dimitri helping you." The little bit of anger from before had totally disappeared.

I smiled back, "Thank you."


End file.
